Receptacle filling machine



Dec. 15, 1942. c. H. AYARS 2,305,510

RECEPTACLE FILLING MACHINE Filed Au 24, 1959 4 sheets-sheep 1 Emil , INVENTUH CHARLES HAYA H5 e 1942- c. H. AYARS 2,305,510 RECEPTACLE FILLING MACHINE Filed Aug. 24, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 .+6 INVENTDR 7 CHARLES H. AYARE ATTORNEY Dec. 15, 1942.

c. H. AYARs RECEPTACLE FILLING MACHINE Filed Aug. 24, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENT UH CHARLES H. AYAFIEI- AT T UFI N-EY Dec. 15,1942. c, MARS 2,305,510

RECEPTACLE FILLING MACHINE -Filed 1m 24, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTCIH CHARLES H.AYAF\E| ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 15, 1942 Charles H. Ayars, Salem, N. J.,' assignor to Ayars Machine Company, Salem, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 24, 1939, Serial No. 291,647 13 Claims. 11. 226-97) This invention relates to machines for filling receptacles with liquid and pulpous matter, such as tomatoes and the like, and refers particularly tosuch a machine so; designed that Whole'pulpous objects will not be crushed.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine which will automatically fill a predetermined quantity of material, such'as tomatoes, into receptacles, and will prevent the crushing or smashing of whole objects; such as a whole tomato, and which will remove'such objects from overfilled measuring cups and direct the same into empty measuring cups. Y

A further object of theinvention is to provide means operated by the container itself for insuring the filling of said container, and which in the absence of said container will make no deposit of material.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a receptacle filling machine in which the receptacles themselves are substantially filled with whole and uncrushed objects and liquid.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a machine in which the material .to be filled into the receptacle is retarded and confined to a position below the hopper.

According to the invention, the receptacle filling machine comprises a hopper for the material to be deposited into the receptacles, means for withdrawing part of the liquid from' said material and depositing the same in a supply tank, means for supplying the containersto be filled with a predetermined quantity of said liquid, a measuring device for measuring quantities of material to be'deposited into receptacles, a flexible guard at the bottom of said hopper confining the material being deposited into the measuring cups, means for wiping whole objects from the top of the measuring cups, and means for directing the object so removed into empty measuring cups.

The machine may be provided with means actuated by the receptacle for insuring the filling of that receptacle whereby upon the absence of a receptacle no material will be deposited.

The machine is an improvement on the can filling machine shown and described in my United States Letters Patent No. 2,061,644, granted November 24, 1936.

The drawings illustrate an embodiment of the invention and the views therein are as follows:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine with parts broken away, 1 V

V Figure 2 is a topplan view,

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the discharging and sealing plate,

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2, p

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view showing thefno can-no fill mechanism,

Figure 6 is a top plan view of one of the rotary leveling members, I

Figure '7 is a front elevation of the same,

Figure 8 is a view showing the star wheel engagement for revolving the turret operating shaft,- I v Figure 9 shows the star wheel fingers disengaged which will be their position during the absence of a receptacle, 7

Figure 10 is a small detail view showing the forked bearing for permitting the star wheels o Figure 8 to be disengaged,

Figure 11 is an enlarged detail view of the pivot bearing for the shaft carrying the movable star wheel of Figure 8,

Figure 12 Ba fragmentary top plan view of the machine showing the mounting of the agitator and the action of one of the levelers on an overloaded measuring pocket,

Figure'13'isa like view showing the parts in different relation, T

Figure 14 is a vertical sectional view of the agitator taken on the line l4l4 of Figure 2,

-;Figure 15 is a top plan view of the upper arm of the bell crank which engages the receptacle to mesh the star wheels shownin Figures 8 and 9, and

Figure 16 is a vertical sectional view hopper. 7

As illustrated in the drawings, the machine is provided with a pulley 2| and with clutch mechanism 22 operated through a shipper handle 23, fo'r connecting said pulley with the shaft 24. This-shaft is provided on its inner end with a bevel. pinion 25 meshing with a bevel gear 21 mounted on the main hollow shaft 28; This hollow' -shaft extends through the tab1e"29 of the machine which is supported on standards 3| and has a star wheel 32 afiixed thereto; 1

Above the star wheel 32 is a funnel casting 33 provided with raceways' 34 in which plunger members 36 operate. The roller members of these plungers 3B operate on a track 31. This type of plunger is substantially the same as that found in my United States Letters Patent No. 1,459,492, granted June 19, 1923. V

The hollow shaft 28 extends above this funnel casting, and its end forms a thrust bearing for the hub 38 of a sealing and discharge plate 39 of, the

which is mounted on the internal shaft 4|, but held against rotation therewith by the connecting link 42, (see Figure 1). Resting on the discharging and sealing plate 39 is a bottom turret 43 of the measuring device. This turret has a circle of upstanding ring flanges 44 into which fit the downwardly extending ring flanges 46 of an upper turret member 41. This upper turret member has a hub 48 secured to the internal shaft M by the set screw 49. An agitator extends above the upper turret member 41, and the shape of this member can be better understood by referring to Figures 2, 12, 13 and-14.

The bevel gear 2? drives a pinion 52on a stub shaft 53 (see Fig. 1) while the other end of this stub shaft is provided with a bevel pinion 54 meshing with a bevel gear 58 at the bottom of a shaft 5'I'. This shaft is supported on the machine frame 58 in a bearing 59. The shaftis provided with a crank 6| while an arm 62 having one end secured to the agitator 5| engagessaid crank in order to oscillate said vibrator. The other end of said vibrator is provided with a bracket I53 having an extension 64 operating in a slotted guide 66 secured to the machine frame (not shown).

The concave forward part of the agitator where the same operates above the filled pockets formed by the turret members 43 and 41 has a rounded bottom face 6! (see Figure 14). The sealing and discharge plate 39 is provided with an upstanding flange 98 which includes a juice supply pot 69 and an inlet 'i'I later explained. The plate has an arcuate depression I2 leading to the discharge opening '19. This feature is the subject-matter of my United States Letters Patent No. 2,104,445, granted January 4, 1938, and permits the contents of the measuringcups or pockets to drop slightly when coming in contact with the agitator.

The hopper I3 has a perforated part 14 and a rear wall I6 having a bottom outlet 11 connecting the casting I8 which leads through said opening II to the sealing and discharge plate 39. The juice which drains through the perforations 74 and onto the sealing and discharge plate 39 will be confined to a circumferential trough on said plate formed by the lower turret 43 and will find its way into the pot [SQ-which is provided with valve means I9. substantially the same as that shown in Figures 3 and 4 of my United States Letters Patent No. 2,158,767, granted May 16, 1939.

Mounted on the frame is a stationary shaft 8| which has a bracket 82 for holding the hopper I3 in position. This hopper has an upper bell end 83, an oblique chute 84 and a vertical outlet 86. The outlet is substantially rectangular and to its side walls ar fastened the ends of an arcuate strip of flexibl material 81 (se Fig. 2). Above the bracket 82 on the shaft 8| is a connecting lug 88 of a bearing bracket 89. The other end of this bracket is fastened at 9I to a bracket 92 on the shaft 5'1. The shaft 51 is freely rotatable in the bracket 92, and its upper end is provided with a sprocket 93. Intermediate th ends of this bracket 89 is a bearing 99 having a shaft 99' and a sprocket 99 located at the upper end thereof. Extensions 94 and 98 are provided on the bracket89, and these extensions are provided with bearings 91 and 98 respectivelyeach having shafts 93 and 95 which in turn have sprock ts 99 and I9I respectively on their upper ends. I92 represents a sprocket chain whichengages the sprockets 90 99 and HM, as shown 75 This valv mechanism may be in Figure 2 of the drawings. Mounted on the lower end of the shafts 99 and are supports I93 and I94 having downwardly extending fingers I99. These fingers have attached thereto flexible depending fingers I91 which extend into the upper turret member 41 with their ends adapted to contact the contents of the filled telescopic cups.

The operation of these flexible fingers can be better described in connection with Figures 12 and 13. Upon the operation of the machine, the tomatoes or the like Will pass downward to the discharge nd 86 of the funnel or hopper I3 and bear against the flexible guard 87. Considering that a telescopic cup is always just beneath the discharge end of the hopper som whole tomatoes or the like will push the flexible guard 81 upward and pass outward therefrom. These whole tomatoes or the like riding on top of the contents of the'filled pocket may first come in contact withthe flexible fingers on the support I94 which may brush them against the guide I99 from whence they will roll or move against the upright flange I08 on th upper turretmember. These fingers will also settle the contents of the cups to completely fill same without voids.

If tomatoes or the like continue to ride above the pockets, just at the moment they are about to pass under the agitator, the flexible fingers I91 on. the support I93 will engage same, as shown in Figure 12, and brush the same outward against the peripheral flange I98 of the upper turret plate where they will be rolled in the direction of. the arrow A until they strike against the guide III which .Will direct the same into an open pocket II2. Atomato I I3 is shown being engaged by one of the flexible fingers of the support I93. It is shown at II4 after being brushed from the topof the measuring cup I I6. It is also shown as lying uponrthe upper turret plate at Ill, and at I I8 it isshown engaging the guide II I and about tofollow into the open measuring cup H2.

The-combined operation of the flexible guard 81 and flexible fingers. I91 in combination with the guides I99 and III will insure the filling of the receptacles with at least four fairly large siz tomatoes or five smaller ones, the balance of the receptacle. being filledwith pulp and juice.

The mechanism constituting the no can-no fill" is as follows: Pivotally secured to the table 29-at II9 is a bell crank I2I. The upper arm I22 is provided with a shoe I23 shaped as shown in Figure 15. The lower arm I24 of the bell crank-has a link I26 connecting it with a loose bearing I21 mounted on the shaft I28. This shaft is provided with a star wheel I29 in line with a sta r wheel I3I mounted on the hollow shaft ,28; The upper end of the shaft I28 extends into a'forked bearing I32 (see Figure 10) and this bearing is mounted on the skirt I33 of the table. The shaft I28 is provided with a gear I34 meshing with a gear I39 on the internal solid shaft 4|, which last-named shaft is journaled in a bearing I31 in the support casting I38 extending between the standards 3|. This support casting I38 has a bracketI33 fastened thereto, and provided with: forked arms I4I which carry adjustable needles I42 engaging a bearing I43 in which the shaft I28 rotates.

The bell crank has a spiralspring I44 fixed at one end at 146 while its other end is fastened to the skirt'of the table 29, This spiral spring will urge the shoe I23 on the bell crank arm I22 inward. Considering that no receptacle is present at the position marked A, the spring I44 will draw th'eshoe I23 inward while the bell crank arm I24moving outward will pull the shaft I28 in its bearing I43 outward disengaging the fingers of the star wheels I29 and I3I. If no can is present it will be readily seen that no material will be delivered from the measuring turret because the measuring turret is operated by the shaft II through thegears I36 and I34 on the shaft I28, and if the star wheel I29 for driving the shaft I28 is disconnected norotation will be imparted to the shaft 4|. Consequently, no material will be delivered as the turret members will not rotate.

When the can is present in the position shown in Figure 5, the bell crank I28 willbe moved outward by virtue of the shoe I23 striking the cans, the bell crank arm I24 moved inward to move the shaft inward, and thus engage the fingers of the star wheels I29 and I3l, so that upon the rotation of the star wheel I3I fixed to the continuously operating hollow shaft 28, the shaft I23 will be rotated, and will impart rotation to the shaft 4|, thereby operating the turret members to deliver a charge of material through the discharge opening in the dis-,

charge and sealing plate 39 to the funnel casting 33 from whence it will be delivered to the receptacle.

The hollow shaft 28 is provided with a gear I5I which meshes with an idler pinion I52 mounted under the table 29, and this idler pinion in turn meshes with a gear I53 on the end of a shaft I55 which is journaledin a table extension I56 and in sealing and discharge plate 39. This shaft is provided with a bevel pinion I51 meshing with a like pinion I58 on the inner end of the can feed shaft I59. This shaft drives the screw or worm ISI of the can feeding mechanism which said mechanism is substantially the same as that shown and described in my United States Letters Patents No. 2,061,644, granted November 24, 1936. and 2,158,767, granted May 16, 1939.

' Of course, the receptacle filling machine illustrated and described herein may-be modified and changed in various ways without departing from the invention herein set forth and hereafter claimed.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1. A receptacle filling machine comprising a hopper formaterial to be packaged, a guard associated with the outlet of said hopper, measuring cups receiving material from said hopper, revolving fingers for settlirg the material in the cups and removing whole objects from" the top thereof, means for directing the' material'from said filled cups into empty cups, and a plate sealing the bottoms of said cups during thefilling and wipingoperations and provided with a discharge opening for depositing material from 4 said filled cups.

2. A receptacle filling machine comprising a hopper for material to be packaged, a flexible guard associated with the outlet of said hopper, measuring cups receiving material from said hopper, revolving fingers for settling the material in the cups and removing whole objects from the top thereof, means for directing the material from said filled cups into empty cups, and a plate uring cups receiving material'from said hopper; revolving flexible fingers'f'or" settling the material in the cups and removing whole objects from the top thereof, meanstfor directing the material from said filled cups into empty cups, and a plate sealing the bottoms of said 'cups during the filling and wiping operations and provided with a discharge opening for depositing. materialfrom said filled cups.

4. A receptaclecfilling machine comprising a hopper for material to be packaged, a guard associated with the outlet of said hopper, measuring cups receiving material from said hopper, revolving fingers for settling the material in the cups and removing whole objects from the top thereof, guides for directing the material from said filled cups into empty cups, and a plate sealing the bottoms of said cups during the filling and wiping operations and provided with a discharge opening for depositing material from said filled cups. l

5. A receptacle filling machine comprising a hopper for material to be packaged, a main hollow shaft continuously rotating when said machine is in operation, means on said shaft for moving receptacles, means for feeding receptacles to said first means, a solid shaft extending through said hollow shaft, a turret having measuring cups connected to said solid shaft, a plate sealing the bottoms of said cups and provided with a discharge opening for emptying same into receptacles, and means actuated by a receptacle for clutching said hollow and solid shafts together to thus advance said turret to register a filled cup with said discharge opening whereby the contents of said cup are deposited into said receptacle.

6. A receptacle filling machine comprising a hopper for material to be packaged, a main hollow shaft continuously rotating when said machine is in operation, means on said shaft for moving receptacles, means for feeding receptacles to said first means, a solid shaft extending through said hollow shaft, a turret having measuring cups connected to said solid shaft, a plate sealing the bottoms of said cups and provided with a discharge opening for emptying same into receptacles, a star wheel on said hollow shaft, a third shaft rotatively connected with said solid shaft, a star wheel on said third shaft, means for normally holding said star wheels out of engagement, and means actuated by a receptacle for engaging said star wheels to clutch said hollow and solid shafts together to thus advance said turret to register a filled cup with said discharge opening whereby the contents of said cup are deposited into said receptacle.

7. A receptacle filling machine comprising a hopper for material to be packaged, a flexible guard around the outlet of said hopper, a main hollow shaft continuously rotating when said machine is in operation, means on said shaft for moving receptacles, means for feeding receptacles to said first means, a solid shaft extending through said hollow shaft, a turret having measuring cups connected to said solid shaft, a plate sealing the bottoms of said cups and provided with a discharge opening for emptying same into hopper for material to be packaged, a flexible guard around the outlet of said hopper, a main hollow shaft continuously rotating when said machine is in operation, means on said shaft for moving receptacles, means for feeding receptacles to said first means, a solid shaft extending through said hollow shaft, a turret having measuring cups connected to said solid shaft, a plate sealing the bottoms of said cups and provided with a discharge opening for emptying same into receptacles, a star wheel on said hollow shaft, a third shaft rotatively connected with said solid shaft, a star wheel on said third shaft, means for normally holding said star wheels out of engagement, and means actuated by a receptacle for engaging said star wheels to clutch said hollow and solid shafts together to thus advance said turret to register a filled cup with said discharge opening whereby the contents of said cup are deposited into said receptacle.

9. A receptacle filling machine comprising a hopper for material to be packaged, a main hollow shaft continuously rotating when said machine is in operation, means on said shaft for moving receptacles, means for feeding receptacles to said first means, a solid shaft extending through said hollow shaft, a turret having measuring cups connected to said solid shaft, revolving fingers for settling the material in the cups and removing whole objects from the top thereof, means for directing the material wiped from said filled cup into empty cups, a plate sealing the bottoms of said cups and provided with a discharge opening for emptying same into receptacles, and means actuated by a receptacle for clutching said hollow and solid shafts together to thus advance said turret to register a filled cup with said discharge opening whereby the contents of said cup are deposited into said receptacle.

10. A receptacle filling machine comprising a hopper for material to be packaged, a main hollow shaft continuously rotating when said machine is in operation, means on said shaft for moving receptacles, means for feeding receptacles to said first means, a solid shaft extending through said hollow shaft, a turret having measuring cups connected to said solid shaft, revolving fingers for settling the material in the cups and removing whole objects from the top thereof, means for directing the material wiped from said filled cup into empty cups, a plate sealing the bottoms of said cups and provided with a discharge opening for emptying same into receptacles, a star wheel on said hollow shaft, a

' 11. A receptacle filling machine comprising a hopper for material to be packaged, a flexible guard around the outlet of said hopper, a main hollow shaft continuously rotating when said machine is in operation,'means on said shaft for moving receptacles, means for feeding receptacles to said first means, a solid shaft extending through said hollow shaft, a turret having measuring cups connected to said solid shaft, revolving flexible fingers for settling the material in the cups and removing whole objects from the top thereof, guides for directing the material wiped from said filled cup into empty cups, a plate sealing the bottoms of said cups and provided with a discharge opening for emptying same into receptacles, and means actuated by a receptacle for clutching said hollow and solid shafts together to thus advance said turret to register a filled cup with said discharge opening whereby the contents of said cup are deposited into said receptacle.

12. A receptacle filling gmachine comprising a hopper for material to be packaged, a flexible guard around the outlet of said hopper, a main hollow shaft continuously rotating when said machine is in operation, means on said shaft for moving receptacles, means for feeding receptacles to said first means, a solid shaft extending through said hollow shaft, a turret; having measuring cups connected toxsaicl solid shaft, revolving flexible fingers for settling the material in the cups and removing whole objects from the top thereof, guides for directing the material wiped from said filled cup into empty cups, a plate sealing the bottoms of said cups and provided with a discharge opening for emptying same into receptacles, a star wheel on said hollow shaft, a third shaft rotatively connected with said solid shaft, a star wheel on said third shaft,

means for normally holding said star wheels out.

of engagement, and means actuated by a receptacle for engaging said star wheels to clutch said hollow and solid shafts together to thus advance said turret to register a filled cup with said discharge opening whereby the contents of said cup are deposited into said receptacle.

13. A receptacle filling machine comprising a hopper for material to be packaged, measuring cups movable along a fixed path for receiving material from said hopper, a guard comprising a strip of flexible materialassociated with the discharge end of the hopper and forming therewith an opening through which material is directed into said cups, the guard being movable by excess material, whereby said excess material may pass beyond the guard and opening, means directing said excess material into open cups, and a plate sealing the bottoms of the cups during filling and provided with a discharge opening for depositing material from said filled cups.

CHARLES AYARS. 

